Heart tainted black
by Hikari-Yoru
Summary: The door is shut and locked. Even if it’s in me to open it, I can’t. What to do when you’re alone in this never-ending darkness? It gets lonely..." // eventually, Lucky. Chap 6 up! Genre 2 will be set as 'comedy' untill the Lucky part starts
1. Pretend

**A/N: Soo, here's the first story for this account ^^! Hikari here, honored to have beaten sis on posting something!! Anyway, sorry for the extremely short chapters, but I'm like that ^^U I'm too impatient and hyper to actually sit down and write a long decent chappie u.u" But I'll try to improve!!!!! So, I'll stop boring you and go on with the fic! R&R please!!**

**Disclaimer: **I not owns. `nuff said. ....... envies hoshino-sama........

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_The door is shut and locked. Even if it's in me to open it, I can't.  
What to do when you're alone in this never-ending darkness? It gets lonely...  
____Even though I'm already used to those kinds of feelings. _  
_But what bothers me the most is the world outside goes on as usual. _  
_And I still can do nothing to escape from here… I wonder if this will ever end…_

**_Pretend_**

It was a normal day at the black order. Everyone had just finished moving their stuff through the arc. Most of them were still getting used to the new Headquarters, and recovering from the attack of the level 4. It seemed it would be the first day they would all spend at ease in a long time. _Seemed. _Suddenly, the atmosphere got a lot heavier, and they all knew something bad was about to happen. Something _really_ bad. And it came.

"BAKA USAGI(1)!!!!!!!" Everyone knew they had to get out of certain Japanese's rage if they wanted to keep their heads on their shoulders.  
"Eeeeek!!" Lavi screamed, dashing through the corridors, bumping into some people as he did so.  
"COME BACK HERE SO I CAN KILL YOU!!!!!!"  
"Who'd stop if you say that?!"

Kanda's and Lavi's screams could be heard throughout the whole order, and even Komui, buried in a bunch of papers that no one knew what were for, wondered what the soon-to-be-dead Lavi had done this time.

"Oh, come on, just because I took a picture of you with your hair down!!"  
"KILL!!!!!!"  
"Eeep!!"

Oh, that explained it. While Komui mused over how bookman would find another apprentice that was as good as Lavi, and manage to teach them before he died (no harm feelings intended), the mentioned usagi(2) barely avoided Mugen cutting through his throat, though it _did_ cut the tip of his hair. That's when he decided it had become too dangerous for his own liking.

"Look! Allen's selling the photos!!"  
"MOYASHI(3)!!!!!!"

Aaaah, old bad tempered, gullible Yuu. The fact that he was so easy to fool had saved Lavi's life quite a few times. The moment you mentioned Allen, he was all over the poor kid trying to kill him. Slow. And painful. Though the same could be said about Allen. He calculated the possibilities of Allen and Yuu killing each other were actually a lot higher than an Akuma or a Noah doing it. Oh well, as long as Lenalee was around to stop them-  
*Whack!!*  
Speak of the Devil and he shall appear… Not that Lenalee was a Devil or something… oh whatever. That was his cue to go faaaar away from them before Yuu stopped trying to kill Allen and remembered he was chasing _him_ in the first place.

And so, the calmness returned to the order. For the time being. With Kanda, Allen and Lavi in the same building, peace wouldn't last for more than two seconds. Not to mention Komui and his seemingly growing sister complex. Luckily though, the latter was _still_ buried under paperwork while pretending he was doing it. As usual.

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After a few hours it was dinner time, and everything was normal. Allen and Kanda were fighting over nonsense (_Lavi noticed they were fighting over the soy sauce. Again. Who needed soy sauce when they were eating pasta or soba(_4)_ anyway?__?)_, and Lenalee was trying to calm them down while the read head and Krory were chatting absentmindedly, though the fighting stopped when Lenalee whacked Kanda on the back of his head with her food tray. She had a clear favoritism towards Allen, the soon-to-be bookman noted.  
Ugh, he _had_ to stop doing that. He felt bad for always analyzing his friends like they were subjects on some kind of experiment.  
Old habit dies hard, he guessed.  
Then again, they _were _supposed to be like everyone before them. And there came again the old headache.  
Lavi made a note to kill the little voice in his head.

"Lavi-dono(5), Kanda-dono! The chief requests for your presence at his office!" informed them a random finder.  
The two exorcists got up from their table, and while Kanda was mumbling something about interrupting his food, Lavi said goodbye quickly and went after him before he started yelling at him for making him wait.

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"Sorry for interrupting your dinner, but a mission came in, and the sooner you get started, the better" said Komui, while taking a sip from his cup of coffee.  
"It's okay" replied Lavi, skillfully ignoring Kanda's complaint on why it was so urgent and how come he had to go with the baka usagi.  
"You see, there is a town where we think there might be innocence, and we can't take the risk of the Noah finding it and destroying it. Here, these folders have the details."  
Lavi flipped through the pages, not paying much attention to what was written. Something about weird incidents taking place in that town and Akumas seen approaching it. Kanda didn't bother to open it and just asked when they were leaving.  
"You will be departing tonight. In two hours, to be specific. That way, you'll get there by tomorrow. Be careful and good luck."  
"Che. As if I'd get beaten by some low level Akuma." And with that, Kanda left. Lavi thanked Komui and walked out of said person's office, heading towards his and panda no jiji's(6) room.  
That was going to be a long night.

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1 Baka Usagi - stupid rabbit

2 Usagi - rabbit

3 Moyashi - bean sprout

4 Soba - Japanese food. Kanda is always seen eating it

5 -Dono - used for people you're really respectful to

6 Panda no jiji - old panda

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**I'll try to update at least one a week, but the laziness monster that hides under the bed is hard to beat -_-" though reviews are really helpful to scare it away ^^  
Reviewers get cookies!!!!!So, that was it! To be honest, I haven't got a clue where this is going ^^U I'm probably going to make stuff up along the way, so requests, suggestions, critics, anything are welcome ^^**

**Ja ne~ ^-^**


	2. Despair

**Hiii! ^-^  
Hikari here again, with an update ^^!!!  
Sorry for the wait, to the few peple who actually bother reading this ^^  
Well, I've been quite busy with school and stupid partial exams... I hate history T^T  
Aaaanyways, this chapter is dedicated to artemis89, for reviewing ^^  
To all those who read it and didn't review it, _Shame on you._ I like that phrase xD**

**Disclaimer: I not owns.**

**Warnings: Well, you might not understand some things if you haven't read the manga up to the latest chapters, but of you _review_ and ask, I'll be more than willing to respond ^^**

**So, on with the chapter!**

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_The walls of despair are starting to melt around me…  
This place seems to be alive, trying to crush me…  
The door is still there, but now I can't reach it…  
And the darkness surrounds it all again…  
Those old feelings are back…  
Can nothing stop me from disappearing…?_

**Despair**

After going back to his own room, Lavi instantly got kicked in the head by a certain old man.  
"Ouch!!!"  
"Where do you think you've been?!?! You baka(1)f apprentice!!!" that said, Lavi received another hit on the head, just this time it was bookman's infamous panda-claw.  
"Hey, it's not as if it was _my_ fault!! Komui called me and Yuu for a mission…"  
"Don't think you're getting off the hook so easily…" Lavi could swear he saw bookman's aura take the shape of a menacing panda… He decided he didn't want to come near that thing. _Ever_. Bookman seemed to calm down and shook his head a little  
"So, what's the mission this time?"  
"Uh…" Lavi flipped through the file for a few seconds before answering.  
"Looks like there's been people disappearing in this small town in France… it's just a reconnaissance mission though… nothing that should take too long"  
"Well you better come back alive so you can order these papers."  
Lavi stared at the huge amount of papers laying scattered around the whole room, even on his bed, and a lot more just glued to the walls and windows.  
"…Uh… maybe it _will_ take longer than expected… you know… since it's a mission with Yuu and-"  
"IT'S KANDA!!!!!!"  
Next thing Lavi knew, there were papers flying around the whole order and he had gone through many walls, landing on top of poor Reever-san who was taking a stock of paperwork to Komui's office. He made a note to always, _always _check if Yuu was around before saying anything… That's when they all felt bookman's anger aura… which was shaped as a panda again.  
"Anou(2)… Yuu… we better run for it…"  
Kanda completely ignored him and started glaring at the now furious bookman.  
"**…my…papers…they're…gone…**"  
That's where Lavi decided to risk his life and shoved Kanda into the train they had to ride, after dragging him all the way to the station, all that time evading bookman's panda claw and various things he threw at them.  
"(_*pant, pant*) _Whew… safe…"

"Err… Y-Yuu…?"  
"**…**"  
Lavi somehow knew that was just the calmness before the storm, so he voted on running for his dear life.  
"**BAKA USAGI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**"

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After a wild goose-chase through most of the train, it finally clicked in both of them.  
"_*pant*_...Um…_*pant*_ now that I… *pant* think about it…?"  
"_*pant*_…It would've been a lot easier… _*pant*_ to go through the damn arc…"

"…"

"BAKA USAGI!!!"  
"Whoa!" Lavi barely managed to save his head from being chopped off his shoulders by a very pissed off Kanda.

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When the train arrived at the station, everyone around watched as a black and red blur dashed through, closely followed by a dark blue one, who was apparently screaming nonsense at the previous one.  
Luckily, everyone was smart enough to stay out of their way.  
Suddenly, Lavi came to a stop, though Kanda, not being quick enough to react, ran into him, throwing them both to the floor.  
"Ooouch…" Lavi complained, rubbing his head, which had hit the road. _Hard_.  
"_**I'll… kill…you…**_" Kanda was obviously _not _happy about having fallen on the soon-to-be-eaten rabbit. Lavi noticed, and decided it was better for his safety to get up and _away_ from Kanda, since he had easy access to his head.  
"…Why did you stop anyway…*twitch*"  
"Um… this mansion…" Said Lavi, while looking behind them.  
"What about it??" Kanda's inexistent patience was reaching negative numbers.  
"I think… it's the one we're supposed to research…"  
Well, Kanda had to admit those were practically the only words that could stop him from skinning, cooking and then eating the rabbit. All he wanted to do now was return to the order, kick some moyashi butt, and hopefully, pick a fight with anyone he saw. He decided to get this done quickly so he could get rid of the annoying bunny and-

"_Wait… I didn't just think 'bunny'…-"  
_"Oooi, Yuu!!" Came Lavi's voice, interrupting Kanda's thoughts.  
"Something wrong?!" His voice echoed through the empty mansion, even though he was just standing at the doorway. The sound made some crows fly away from a nearby tree. Kanda went towards the mansion, trying not to think in what he had just called Lavi, successfully restraining himself from screaming and pulling his hair off. They both went into the mansion.  
"Waah… hu~ge…" Said Lavi while walking around the entrance, which was as big as a whole house. It had doors on the sides, and a big staircase in the middle. There were some furniture scattered around, covered in dust, some of it half-eaten by moths. There was a bookshelf on the right, and when Lavi noticed it, his curiosity got the better of him, so he went to take a look. He grabbed one of the books, and he blew on it to get the dust away.  
*cough, cough*  
"Oi, what's that?" Said Kanda, wanting to go look for the innocence already so they could return. Hopefully on the arc. Though he doubted they'd send moyashi to them just to get them again. So they'd have to go the church…  
"Dunno… *cough* Just wanted to take a look at the bo- *cough* …books…"  
Kanda walked away muttering something that Lavi identified as "Baka usagi", "Wasting my time" and "Kill".

Lavi followed Kanda, and they started exploring the first floor. The first door they opened seemed to be a very old and very big kitchen. Lavi stepped back a little when a huge rat walked by in-between his legs, almost making him loose balance.  
Kanda muttered something about chickens and men not being supposed to be scared of rats, but Lavi ignored him. He took a look around: Besides the size, it was just a regular old kitchen. Everything was rusty and had dust all over it, besides a door that seemed to be locked. He checked it and found out that, indeed, it was licked, and decided breaking it and waiting for the dust to settle wasn't worth his time, so he went back through the door they came through, dragging Lavi along.

"…Hey… Yuu…"  
"It's Kanda."  
"Whatever… what do you think… will happen to Allen…?"  
"Dunno dun care. They could kill him and I wouldn't mind."  
"Right… should've guessed so…" Lavi mentally slapped himself for starting to analyze Kanda again.

"…"  
"…You don't need to be so damn worried about him. Even if it's a shame, they won't kill him."  
"What do you mean?"  
"After all, he has the one hundred percent synchronization, the possibility to become a general. _And_ the fourteenth. So they won't kill him."  
"Yeah… I guess you're right" Said Lavi, smiling a little. He went on ahead and opened the next door, wanting to return quickly so he could ask panda a few questions on the Allen issue.

"LAVI!!!"

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1- Baka = Idiot

2- Anou = 'Hey...' in a more polite way

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**Cliffie! ^^**

**Yesh, I be mean xD  
Anyway, I reeeally like this story, so I'll probably update weekly or so, buuuuuut...  
from now on, if the story doesn't get at least 3 reviews, there will be no update!! And I reeeeeeally want to update it, so don't make me suffer T^T**

**'Till next time~!**


	3. Heart

**So, here's chapter three ^^!!**

**Sorry for the lateness, but my dad's computer broke a while ago, and he's like I have to use it" "I have work" blah, blah, blah.**

**Anyway, you'll find _teh drama_ growing in this one XD**

**Oh, and there's a little surprise at the end ^^**

**Disclaimer: I not owns nuthin. Nor I ever will. Hoshino-sensei does. Please continue the series!!!! Not another hiatus!!!!!!! (rant, rant, rant) *gets dragged away***

**"hiatus" talk**

**_"hiatus" thoughts_**

**Enjoy!!!!!**

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_It's hard to see anything in here…  
My senses are starting to slowly, painfully fade away…  
I can't even see the door anymore…  
This seems to have no end…  
And that's where I realized there's no way to escape…  
And I start to panic.  
The walls close on me again, and I try reaching out for the door…  
Then everything turns pitch black._

_**Heart**_

"_**LAVI!!!!"**_

_I suddenly feel nothing. Nothing at all. Just the darkness surrounding me growing constantly. My eyes widen for a second, realizing that I'm falling. Still, nothing seems to matter. Maybe this is for the best. "Bookman apprentice dies while on an undercover recording process", I can perfectly picture that. No one would really miss me. Jiji(1) would just find another disciple, and Yuu and the others… well, they'd probably hate me if they found out the truth. The truth that's been chasing me since I came to the order, since without me realizing, I started to not know if my smile was a fake or not. So I just close my eyes, waiting for the impact to come, for the peaceful feeling to take over. I guess I'm going to hell, for pretending to be one of God's cherished disciples, while having hidden intentions. But oh well, it can't be worse than this life of just recording what happens, having the chance to change things, but just not doing it. A life without a heart. So I'll be just fine in hell, atoning for my sins. There's only one thing I'll regret not saying…_

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"_**I wish you didn't hate me"**_

_**Kanda's POV**_

I could only stare, wide eyed, as he disappeared from my sight. The room turned out to be empty, all black. Didn't even had a floor. So, obviously, that moron fell. I stood there in utter shock before reacting, and running towards that empty room, but that stupid door closed on its own. I tried opening it, but it was damn closed. After smashing through, I stared at the regular looking living room in front of me; I just couldn't believe my eyes. Where the heck did the _other_ room go to?!  
Che…

I guess I'll have to look for that stupid, reckless, missing Lavi. What a pain. Guess I better start now…

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_**Normal POV **_

After looking for Lavi throughout the whole mansion, Kanda was starting to lose his temper.  
He was weighing the possibilities of Lavi surviving if he just destroyed the whole damn mansion… they weren't too high.  
So he just went with the plan of smashing through the whole mansion while looking for Lavi **(AN/ Kanda has a problem with smashing stuff ^^")**.

After a while, he reached the kitchen… that stupid locked door. Kanda glared at it and was about to break it down when he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey there… looking for something?"

Kanda turned around, unsheathing Mugen. The dim light in the room was enough to unveil a fleeting reflection of the deadly metal, mimicking the steely glare of its owner. Kanda was already starting the motion of beheading his opponent, when his brain finished registering who exactly was the one standing in front of him. He froze, eyes widening, while his enemy smirked at his reaction, evaluating it with eyes partially hidden under locks of dark, curly hair. The same color of his skin.

"A lost pet, perhaps?" Tyki Mikk said, his golden eyes locked in Kanda's blue ones.

"What have you done to him?" Kanda said, every bit of the venom in his eyes dripping from his voice. Tyki couldn't help but smirk more at that reaction, lowering his head a little while he studied it. His hair casted shadows over the marks in his forehead, the crosses that signaled he was one of the fourteen chosen humans to rule at the Earl's side; a Noah. The twin pools of gold became a contrast of light and dark, their color and the evil in them contrasting to create a look capable of sending shivers up the spine of anyone. _"He must've lost his temper already…"_ he thought, watching the exorcist steady his stance, not even intimidated by the fight that was sure to come, by the abysm that separated the level of their powers.

"Answer!!" Kanda yelled, his grip hardening on Mugen's hilt as the little amount of patience he had left evaporated.

"Well, I've done nothing… I don't even know who you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me…"

Kanda was seriously starting to lose his temper now. He pointed Mugen at Tyki's neck, ready to kill him whenever necessary.  
He was going to find Lavi, and he was going to do it quickly, so he could kill him with his own hands.

"My, my… how aggressive… are you that worried about the lost rabbit?"

"So you do know where he is."

"May be so. You have no way to know if I do for sure, do you?"

"Why, you…!!"

Oh, that did it. Kanda charged at the Noah, with Mugen ready to cut his head off.

And so, the battle started. Kanda was having a rough time trying to stop Tyki's attacks, and fending off tease while he did so.  
What got to him the most was that Tyki seemed to be taking all of that as a game.

They went on like that for a while, Kanda not being able to hit Tyki, and the other one not even trying to.

Suddenly, Tyki stopped and took a few steps back.

"Looks like my job here is done." He said while disappearing through the floor.

"Wait!"

Kanda smashed (again) trough the floor, but Tyki was nowhere to be seen. He was about to go looking for him, when something that was laying on the floor of the room caught his attention.

"Lavi!!"

Kanda rushed to him, but he was unconscious. He looked for a pulse, and when he found one, he started carrying him out of that dreaded mansion.

"_I wonder what happened… He doesn't even seem hurt… and what the __hell__ was Tyki doing here… And leaving like that…Che… What the hell is going on?!"_

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_**Lavi's POV**_

"_Ugh… I'm… moving…? …No… someone's… carrying me… what happened…? Right… I fell… I saw nothingness… Am I dead…? Don't think so… Where am I…? Come on… open your eyes…"_

My eyes did open slowly, pupils trying to adjust to the light. First thing I saw, I was indeed moving, and pretty fast at that.  
Secondly, someone _was_ carrying me. I looked up and my eyes widened in shock. I expected anything, _anything_ but this.

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_**Normal POV**_

"Waking up already? Was about time. I'm _not_ carrying you all the way back to the order. In fact, I was already thinking excuses to just throw you somewhere and say you died."

Kanda kept walking as Lavi's eyes opened, and he stared blankly at him.

"What."

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his side, as if someone had just stabbed him. He stared, not believing what he was seeing.

"_How can he stab someone with his bare hand…?!" _Kanda thought as he processed that Lavi's hand _was_ what was stabbing him.

"_And moreover, __why__ did he do it?!"_

Kanda let go of Lavi, and took a few steps back, holding the wound on his side, trying to stop the bleeding.

"You're not that moron Lavi, are you?"

'Lavi' just went on staring blankly at him, his hand drenched in crimson blood.

"Who are you…? No… _What_ are you?!"

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"**Waking up yet? Little lost pet…"**

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1 - Jiji = old man

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**So, did ya like it?? If you say yes, you get a cookie!! ^^**

**Anyway, since I have literally no idea of where this is going (I totally make this all up on the way XD), me and my sis decided on a little game ^^**

**It was her idea, so credit goes to her!**

**So, the game goes like this: In this chapter, one bit has been written by her instead of me, in her style (plot was mine though). If you can find it, leave a review saying so, and which part it is, and if you guess it right, you get to chose one aspect of the story! ^^**

**(If you're wondering, yes, this is an evil scheme to get reviews and to not have to think. So yeah.)**

**The lucky winners this week gets to chose between.......... *drumroll***

**PAIRINGS!!!!! (.....duh. BTW, _any _pairing is valid. Me be immune to them.)**

**GENRE!!!!! (............... 'nuff said.)**

**cHARACTER APPEARANCE!!!!!! (You say "I want... eh..... Cross in teh story!!!" And I put Cross in. OCs not valid. Main characters shall not be changed. Or you will be doomed.)**

**The first to guess chooses between the three of these, the second one, between the two left and the third one gets the one left!**

**I'll let you know if you were quick enough to get a prize on a reply! ^^**

**See ya, and good luck!!**

**~Hikari**

***Edit***

**You can read my sis's story on this same account for reference ^^**


	4. False

**Hiii!! Here's chapter four!!!**

**It's up so soon since today be meh birthday!!!!!! so this is a present from me to me XD (and to all of you readers ^^)**

**It's pretty short though, since it's mostly dialogue, and I wanted to cut it there! In case you haven't noticed I looooooooooove cliff hangers XD**

**Soo, the people who got the game right weeeeeeeeere *drumroll***

**1st plaaaace**

**Artemis89!!! *claps* congrats ^^**

**2nd plaaaaaaaaace**

**Riverspirit86!!! *claps* congrats to you too ^^**

**Aaaaand, there's no third place since no one else answered and I wanted to update today XDD**  
So, I'm going to throw a coin (literally) and if it's heads, artemis gets the third place, if it's tails, river gets it ^^ (you don't mind me calling you like that, right? *big puppy eyes*)**

**...**

**tails!**

**Congratulations Riverspirit86!!!!! *mimics crowd screaming***

**So, leave a review with what you want ^^**

**Enjoy!!! (yesh, I be hyper)(whaaaaat?? it's my birthday! I has right!)**

**Disclaimer: I owns nothing but a bag of potato chips that I be eating right now. So there.**

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_I open my eyes to this familiar scenario…  
Somehow, the empty room feels even lonelier…  
Even with these incomplete feelings of mine,  
I can still feel the world getting farther and farther from me…  
Everything turning to ink before melting…  
Feeling these eyes not worthy of observing them…  
There is no more hope for me…_

_**False**_

"**Waking up yet? Little lost pet…"**

Suddenly, 'Lavi's' eyes changes, turning pitch black, as the reversed pentangle appeared on his forehead,

"Che… a damned akuma…"

Kanda unsheathed Mugen, getting ready for the battle that was about to come.

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"**What are you?"**

When Lavi's brain actually processed the information that _Tyki_, a _Noah_ was carrying him, it had been several seconds since the latter spoke.

"Cat ate your tongue?"

"N-Noah…!"

Lavi's currently overworking brain could only manage to stutter that word before returning to its shocked state.

"Now, that's a little mean, don't you think? For that to be the first thing you say…"

Tyki's mocking tone, faking hurt in it, was what put Lavi's brain functioning again, currently thinking of ways to kill slowly and painfully.  
Besides, Tyki seemed to be taking the whole situation as a joke, like when he played poker with Allen in that train… at that time, neither of them thought Tyki would turn out to be one of their most fearsome enemies, a _Noah_.

Lavi tried to get away from him, but his body wouldn't respond.

"What have you…"

"Oh, the paralyzer? Well, we can't have the pet running away, can we?"

"You…!!"

"Now stay still and get comfortable. It's a long trip."

"…Not as if I have a choice…"

"Hm?"

"…Where are you taking me."

"Well, you'll have to wait and see."

Tyki was seriously getting on Lavi's nerves now. The situation just couldn't get worse. A _Noah_ was taking him who-knows-where, and he couldn't do _anything_ about it. Tyki could crush his heart at any moment he wanted, with that bothersome ability his position as the Noah of pleasure gave him.

"_Crush my heart… If only I had one to start with…"_

Lavi couldn't help himself from recalling what had happened at that time, when Tyki made his 'tease' eat a part of Allen's heart… He remembered getting really upset about it, to the point of breaking one of the ship's glass windows… And Bookman's reaction…

"_Don't be taken in by the war. We are only on the Order's side 'by chance', all for the sake of recording history" _**(AN/ Looked at the manga for this bit XD)**

Those words really crushed him. It felt as if the whole world fell on his shoulders, and it was too much of a burden, to carry it all, to follow that path, _to not have a heart_.

"_Maybe I __am__ a failure… as an exorcist… as a bookman…"_

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"**As a human…"**

The akuma's body exploded as Kanda sheathed his sword after the battle. It had been hard to defeat, but it's transformation ability didn't help it too much against the cold-hearted, hot-tempered, currently really angry, Kanda Yuu.

"Now, to look for that-"

"BAKANDA~!!!!"

Kanda almost lost his balance when he heard the deafening screaming, apparently coming from somewhere right behind him.

"…Moyashi…"

He turned around to see his golem on radio mode, probably contacting that unbearable, short, useless, maddening, stupid-

"What's going on?" Allen's voice interrupted his thoughts, leaving him thinking on more insults for the white-haired exorcist.

"Komui told me he couldn't contact Lavi. Did you break his golem on one of your rage fits?"

"The only thing I feel like breaking right now is your little moyashi head…"

"Oh, ha ha… very funny… Then, what happened? I don't think Lavi would do something as stupid as to forget his golem… I mean, that's something you'd expect from _you, _not him…"

"You're so dying a slow and painful death the moment I see you… Anyway, that moron vanished."

"What do you mean he vanished? Did you lose him? Are _you_ lost? It wouldn't surprise me, coming from you…"

"Don't group me with the likes of _you_, someone who gets lost at least five times a day. He fell through some weird empty room, and I haven't seen him since then. Besides, a Noah was here."

Their voices seemed to be accumulating more and more hatred and killing intent with every phrase and insult said to each other. That had very few chances on ending in a calm, civilized conversation.  
That was, until it clicked in Allen's head that Kanda said the word _Noah_.

"A Noah?!"

"Yeah…"

"Okay, I'm heading there. We have to look for Lavi and that Noah. This could be bad…"

"They're probably in the same place anywa-"

"…"

"…YOU'RE HEADING THIS WAY?!?!"

"Eeeep!!"

Kanda turned around to see the familiar white arc portal opening a few feet behind him, and Allen falling through it, probably startled by his yelling.

"Owowow…"

"… Stupid moyashi."

"You didn't have to yell like that… I just got worried about Lavi, and decided helping would be the best…"

"Che…"

Allen swore, if he was given a dollar every time Kanda 'Che'd', he'd probably have enough money to pay his master's bills, and have an emergency fund for food.

But leaving that aside, they both started looking for Lavi and Tyki, though none of them expected anything near what was about to come their way.

"**What the…"**

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**So, what did you think??**

**I forgot to say it up 'till now, but criticism, flames and whatever are welcome ^^ I really wanna do better ^^**

**Soo, the lucky winners (and only participants XD) shall not forget to review!!**

**See ya next timeee!!!!!**

**~Hikari**


	5. Emptiness

**Hi, Hikari here! I'm soooooo sorry for the delay of the chapter, but I've been soo, soooo busy with school ^^U (please forgive me?)**

**Aaaaaanyways, here are teh results of the game:**

**1º prize(pairing) - Lucky (1st time writting this pairing :D)(first time writting at _ALL_... oh well xD)**

**2º prize(genre) - Hurt? (still not sure of the answer given ^^U)**

**3º prize(character) - Road**

**So, from now on, have a warning of yaoi/shounen-ai/boyxboy/any other name there's for it**

**So, on with the fic ^^**

**Disclaimer: I owns nothing except for my 1 to 13 spanish version volumes of . Except for number 4. Wasn't in the store. T_T (the one with Lavi on the coveeeer... _)**

**"blah blah blah" speech**

**_"blah blah blah" thoughts_**

_*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*_

_One of the only feelings I can still fell clearly is loneliness…  
It's funny how it's also the one I feel the most…  
Humans can't live alone after all, I guess…  
That is, when you have a heart…  
People you care for, things you want to achieve a path you want to follow…  
Those are things people with hearts seek desperately…  
I lost mine long ago…  
Locked in this empty room…_

_**Emptiness**_

"**Wait for us"**

Lavi could only stare dumbfounded as Tyki walked through an ark portal, its black color contrasting with the usual snow-white of the portals Allen could open.

"We're almost there. Brace yourself."

Lavi didn't even have the time to answer as Tyki walked through one of the doors, which he assumed led out of the ark, and they appeared mid-air in what appeared to be a rich area of houses, judging by the big- scratch that, _huge_ houses that probably belonged to either nobles or some _seriously_ rich people.

Tyki landed on his feet while complaining about having to free-fall every time he wanted to go there, and he said something about the Earl exaggerating the security measures. He started walking towards one of the houses- Lavi's bookman perception told him it was probably the biggest one.

"…You live here…?"

"Kind of. Anyway, you'll be staying here for a while, so…"

Tyki literally threw him into a room after kicking the door open, and he felt his back hit the soft mattress of a bed, bouncing a little, but still unable to move.

"…get comfortable"

"Wai-!"

Lavi couldn't finish talking before Tyki closed the door and left. He heard a clicking noise he assumed to be the lock of the previously closed door. Great. He was paralyzed, locked in a room, in a house probably full of Noah and therefore also of Akuma, and even the Earl might be there.

"_This doesn't look too good…"_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"**Hurry"**

"CAN'T YOU RUN ANY FASTER THAN THAT?!?!"

"I'M TRYING!!!"

Kanda and Allen were currently fleeing from a _very_ angry mob of angry villagers who held angry torches and pitchforks.

"EXACTLY _WHAT_ DID YOU DO TO THEM?!?!"

"I SAID NOTHING!! …well I may have eaten all of their food, but I paid for it and…"

"BAKA MOYASHI!!!!!!!!!!"

They went on running for a while until they finally lost the angry, _angry_ mob, though their yelling could still be heard clearly in the distance. Allen fell to his knees while panting, while Kanda just leaned against a tree, also panting.

"*pant* so…*pant* …how are we going… *pant* …to find Lavi…?"

"*pant*…like hell…*pant*…I know…"

"They could… *pant* …be almost anywhere…*pant* …right?"

Kanda stopped panting and stood up straight, a look of deep thought washing over his face.

"…Damn… it's like finding a stupid needle in a fucking straw-loft (1)."

"What are we going to do…?" Allen said while standing up straight.

"*sigh* …We'll just have to keep looking for that moron."

"Guess so…"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kanda and Allen went on looking for Lavi for what seemed to be days long, before they got a call from HQ.

"*bzzzzt* …Kanda, Allen…*bzzzzzt*"

"Komui-san? Is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry, but…*bzzzzt* we have been given orders from Inspector Leverrier…"

"That bastard… What did he want?"

"…He said we should waste no more time in looking for someone who's chances of being alive are so low…"

"They have no proof that idiot is dead!!"

"I have to agree with Kanda on this one!!! We can't just abandon Lavi, isn't he our comrade!?!?"

"I know, and I'm sorry, but… we have no choice. If you guys don't come back right _now_ you'll be considered traitors… And that would mean you'd have to be chasen and… eliminated…"

"Damn!!"

"Calm down, Kanda. Are you sure there's absolutely no other possible choice?"

"I really _am_ sorry Allen, but… I already did everything I could to hold him back up until now…"

"Don't worry, it's not your fault…"

With that said, the golem on their side started buzzing, signalizing Komui had hung up the phone. Kanda punched a wall out of anger, but he did it so hard his fist started bleeding slightly. Allen opened a snow-white arc portal in front of them, leading to HQ.

Then, he turned around, facing Kanda who still seemed angry enough to be able to cut Leverrier's head clean off his shoulders.

"…We have no other choice, Kanda. You heard Komui-san. Being chased down and accused of high treason isn't going to do us _or_ Lavi any good. If we go back quickly, there's a chance we can convince the inspector to let us keep looking for him… I'm sure he'll understand if we tell him, and-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!"

"Kanda…"

"I'm not freaking stopping until I find that stupid useless failure of an exorcist so I can kill him with my own hands!!!"

In the end, they needed around twenty finders and Marie along with Allen to finally pull Kanda into the arc and drag him into the door that led to Head Quarters. He had to be locked in a room until he cooled down and everyone was sure he wouldn't go on a killing rampage, while Allen kept asking for permission to speak with the inspector."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"**Why?"**

_**Kanda's POV**_

Shit. I have to get out of here. I can't just sit and act as if nothing fucking happened… There _has_ to be some damn way of getting out of here. It was partly _my_ fault…Yeah, I'm only going to these extremes because I don't like owing anything to anyone… Even less to that moronic idiot.

Now, as to finding a freaking way of getting out of here…

_**Normal POV**_

Kanda started pacing around the room, when he noticed they forgot to take Mugen away from him, probably because of all the troubles he had caused.

"_Hmm… This should do the trick…"_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"**Wait for me"**

Lavi tried moving his arm again. It was a little stiff, but the paralyzer's effects seemed to be starting to wear off. That aside, he was still locked in a room, so it wasn't as if he could go very far. He was just laying on the bed, his brain almost overworking while trying to think of a way to escape.

Suddenly, the red-head heard the 'click' of the door being unlocked, and the slight cracking it made when it was opened.  
He shot up from the bed, glaring at the familiar person –if he could be called that- who was standing in front of him.

"**It's time."**

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

1 - I'm not sure if that is the correct translation for that phrase, so if I'm wrong feel free to tell me, ok? ^^

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**Soo, what did ya think?? Flames criticism and whatsoever are all accepted, I just wants reviews ^^ (me be pathetic. I knows.)**

**Next chapter will be up as soon as I can post it!! But I'll find it pretty hard to write with school homework all over me, so you shouldn't hold your breath -_-"**

**Anyway, sorry for the lateness and wait for the next one!! (promise it'll be longer!! .")**

***EDIT***

**The next chapter probably won't be up in some time due to personal reasons. Sorry for the bother.**


	6. Feelings

**Heyy!! Sorry for the delay ^^U (plz dun kill me? *bricked*)**

**Buuuut! Buuut!! I have ne next few chapters all written out, so they should be up pretty soon!! ^^**

**So, I won't delay you any longer ^^**

**Disclaimer: I not owns nothing. Just tomes from one to 17 (yaaaaaay!! ^^), so dun sue!!**

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_I'm tired of being locked inside this room...  
My resolve pushing me towards that door...  
Am I ready to open it...?  
It could mean leaving the safety that's inside this place...  
Being exposed... Getting hurt...  
But my newly found resolve told me it was better than being always inside this place...  
So I'll open the door... Bring down these walls...(*)  
My hand on the knob..._

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"_**It's time"**_

Lavi was still glaring at Tyki as he started getting slowly closer to the bed he was –unwillingly- laying on top of.

"What do you mean."

"Hmm, pretty aggressive, are we. So rude, so rude, considering you're a guest." Tyki said in a hurt-mockery tone, making Lavi want to just forget the stupid paralyze and punch him in the face. H_ard._

"Well, let's put it as 'you'll see when time comes'. Now follow me."

"…Why should I." Lavi answered, now barely containing his anger towards the Noah.

"Because if you don't, I'll have to force you, and it would be much comfortable for the both of us if you just came willingly" Tyki said, matter of fact, already starting to get impatient.

Lavi couldn't help the rage building up inside him, as Tyki seemed to be taking this as just a game. Even though, he, being an over-analytical maniac could tell he was pretty serious about what he said. Still, he had always been a bit of a daring one(ask Yuu about that).

……….

A few minutes later, Tyki was walking through the halls of the mansion, carrying Lavi over his shoulder, who was, by the way, paralyzed again.

"I told you it would've been easier to just come willingly. But nooo, you just _had_ to go and try to hit me with the bed post you broke." Lavi could at least say he didn't regret that.

"If it was about your pride, I could've threatened you with Tease on the way… But only if you asked nicely."

Lavi decided his glare could pretty much speak for him, and Tyki made sure to make a mental note not to anger 'the pet', taking into account that if glares could kill, he'd be suffering a slow painful death right about now.

"Awww, you're sooooo mean. Anyway, we're already getting there, so try not to go on a killing spree while we're there."

They were getting closer to a door at the end of the corridor they had been walking through.  
Suddenly, Tyki was flying towards one of the walls, and Lavi felt someone stopping his fall.

"Che. You're always causing trouble."

Lavi stared wide-eyed at Kanda, who was in turn glaring at the wall Tyki had just went through (If you're wondering, Tyki was trying to figure out what had just happened and why he was in Road's bedroom while she was hugging what looked like a hand-made Allen plush).

"What… How-?"

"No time for explanations, you moron. Let's get outta here before we have to fight an army of akuma, or the Noahs, or that fat creep."

Thar said, Kanda threw Lavi –who was feeling like a potato sack at this point- over his shoulder, and lept out of a window before Tyki could follow (Or escape from Road's rage).

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"_**You came…."**_

After making sure no one was following them, and putting a considerable distance between them and the mansion, Kanda slowed his dash to a stop, slightly panting as he did so.

"…Why did you come…? …I thought you hated me…"

"*pant* got any… *pant*… complaints…?"

"…Just wondering, I guess…"

"I don't like owing anything to anyone. Even less to someone as stupid and useless as you." Kanda answered while standing straight and starting to walk again.

"_So it's just that… Should've known…"_

"…Maybe…*grumble*" Kanda muttered something under his breath Lavi couldn't quite make out.

"Huh?"

"Maybe I was-"

"BAKANDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Kanda almost jumped at the scream of that oh-so-known and oh-so-dreaded voice coming from a few feet to their right, resulting on him losing his balance and Lavi ending up on the floor.

"I finally caught up to you!! How could you do something as running away like that?!?! You don't know how- Lavi!!!!!!!"

Allen went towards where Lavi was laying, helping him up as relief washed over his face.

"Are you okay?? No injuries?? Why were you on the floor??"

"Ouch… I'm fine…"

"Did it have something to do with bakanda??"

"…_Actually it was because of you…"_

"No, it was-"

**"…_Moyashi…_" (imagine this in a veeeeeeeeeeeery scary tone)**

Allen turned around, just in time to notice mugen being a few centimeters away from his face, and having barely enough time to evade being stabbed by an obviously _furious_ Kanda who was currently probably thinking on where he should hang his head when he was done with him.

"YOU'RE SO DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAD!!!!!!!!!!"

Lavi sighed as the usual fight started again, just like every time they were ten meters-or-less apart for more than ten seconds.  
Oh well, it would've been too weird if they didn't start trying to kill each other. After all, they really _did_ hate each other…

"_Hate… I guess even that's better than complete indifference… even if it's because of hatred… They'd notice if one of them went missing…"_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"_**I wish you hated me too…"**_

Kanda, Allen and Lavi, who wasn't paralyzed anymore, were heading towards the nearest arc portal, the first two being covered in bruises and scratches from their fight, and with a big bump on their heads resulting from angering Lavi further than he already was when he had ozuchi-kozuchi with him.

"Why can't you just _make_ another one here so we don't have to walk so much??"

"Well, they forbid me to open portals, unless it was an emergency, except for the ones I opened at Head quarters and throughout the world"

"Che…"

"Sorry, but bakanda being lazy is **not** an emergency."

"Why you…!"

"Stop it!" Lavi said from behind them, with ozuchi-kozuchi in hand and a scary-looking aura behind him.

"I'M SICK OF THIS!!!!!" And so, Kanda's last thread of patience and sanity snapped and he went on a killing rampage, mostly aimed at Allen, who activated his innocence just in time to start fighting. _Again._

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"_**I wish you'd acknowledge me…"**_

After some time of arguing, screaming, fighting, glaring, more arguing and a lot of bruises, they finally reached an arc portal, and went through it while Kanda complained about the Noahs living in the middle of nowhere.

"I'll go and report to Komui." Said Allen while smiling at Lavi, obviously feeling relieved his friend was back at HQ.

"Anything's better that spending another second near you…" He finished while glaring one last time at Kanda before going away towards Komui's paperwork labyrinth of an office.

"Stupid moyashi…"

"You guys should try to at least _bear_ each other for more than ten seconds…"

"Whatever"

Lavi looked at Kanda, who was glaring in the direction Allen had just left towards.  
Hatred was, after all, an emotion, even if it was considered a bad one. Something he wasn't allowed to have. Well, he was supposed to be just an impartial observer. He shouldn't get implied personally. After all, everyone there would probably be forgotten, or at most, just become ink stains on paper. But still, he couldn't think that way. Not anymore. He couldn't stop himself from wanting to at leat be _noticed_ by him…

"_At least…"_

"Lavi…" Komui's voice came, interrupting his thoughts.

He turned around, a little surprised at Komui's dark tone of voice and expression, wich contrasted with his usually carefree, cheerful demeanor.

"Komui? …Something wrong?"

"…I'm sorry…"

"…Huh? Why are you apologizing…?"

"Bookman…"

"_Huh? Something happened to the panda…?!"_

Lavi was getting more and more worried by Komui''s expression, tone, and seeming difficulty to tell him what had happened. It just _had_ to be something really serious… But what could have happened to that panda-jiji??

"He… during a mission, while you were gone…"

Lavi's anxiety was rising to levels where he doubted he could control it for much longer.

"_**He… died."**_

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

** (*) OMG that rythmes!!!!!! (lol)**

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**Soooo!! how was it???? hope you all liked it!!**

**Oh, and dun worry, I has something planned for Bookman......... *insert evil laugh here*^**

**So, see ya soon and dun worry!! I'll try to update by monday!! (or sooner.... mwajajajaja...)**

**~Hikari**


	7. Left alone

**Heyy!! Hikari here again!!**

**Firstly, I'm so, so, so, soooooooooooo sorry for not being able to post this on monday, but I just finished typing the chapter ^^U**

**Me knows, me be sloooooooooooow at typing... bear with me ú.ù;**

**Soooooo, this chapter is kind of a prologue to where the story really begins ^-^ I hope you guys like it, and I did my best at making it longer TT_TT (faiiils)**

_**Disc: Me be tired of doing it. Therefore, lavi will. L: Uhhh, Hikari doesn't owns us, she just likes to use us and torture us for her own entertainment...**_

**_Me: there you have it. So dun sue. ......... Lavi is meeeean to me..._**

_**Warning: swearing on this chappie! sorry if it offends you! it's just kanda being kanda!!**_

_***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***_

_The door starts to open…  
Just a Little crack blinds me with its light…  
But suddenly, the door melts under my hands…  
The walls falling, breaking…  
And I find myself surrounded by a blinding light…  
So strong, I try to open my eyes…  
All I can make out is a black silhouette…  
…Is it…smiling…?_

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

"_**He… died during a mission, while you were gone…"**_

Lavi was laying on his bed, he still couldn't believe what Komui had told him earlier. Bookman just _couldn't_ be dead… Not like that, so suddenly, and without any explanation…Did that meant he was Bookman now…? Or that he'd never be one at all?  
… It didn't matter…

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, though he didn't feel like seeing anyone right now, so he just ignored it.

"Lavi…? It's me, Allen… Are you okay…?"

"_How could I ever be okay after what happened…?"_

_***Flashback***_

Lavi's eyes widened as those words started to sink in. _"This just can't be happening… He can't die just like that…It's not happening… It has to be some kind of joke… Some kind of mistake…"_

"I'm really sorry, Lavi… we don't really know what happened…"

Kanda stared at Komui's dark expression, a little shocked by the news. Bookman? Dead? Not something he was expecting to hear…  
He looked at Lavi, shock and fear all over the red-head's face.

"Hey…" He said, while placing his hand on Lavi's shoulder, to make him notice his presence, since he was pretty distracted by the news Komui brought with him.

Lavi jumped a little at the sudden feeling of someone touching him, and he turned around to look at Kanda.

"You okay?" If Lavi hadn't just been told Bookman had died under unknown circumstances while he was out, he'd probably be testing if the person standing in front of him was the real Kanda Yuu, or if it was a really well disguised akuma who was trying to pretend to be him; but right now, his brain wasn't functioning properly enough to notice the great attitude change in the Japanese.

"Huh? Eh… I… I don't… "

"Lavi…" Komui started approaching; wanting to comfort Lavi as well, as he felt part of the guilt was his to carry.

"I- I just want to be alone right now" Lavi said, rushing the words, running off into the maze of halls that belonged to the Order.

Komui sighed as Kanda started to walk away.

"Shouldn't you be with him? That must've hit him pretty hard…"

"He said he wanted to be alone, so let him be."

_***End Flashback***_

Allen sighed, realizing it was pointless to just stand there, waiting for Lavi to answer. Said exorcist seemed to be nowhere near fine, and that meant he wouldn't just let someone into the room he used to share with bookman so easily. Let alone answer.

"Lavi… when you feel ready to talk, or to let someone in, we'll all be here for you, okay…?"

Lavi heard Allen's echoing footsteps fading away. He probably just got tired of waiting. He wondered if he'd really be able to go out… and be forced to face the truth. That Bookman wouldn't be there to scold him for taking so long, or hit him for calling him a panda, or to yell at him to finish the paper work already…(*)  
He couldn't stop his body from starting to shake, tears forming at his eyes, becoming too heavy and sliding down his cheeks, leaving wet traces where they went. He started sobbing, not being able to control his emotions at all.

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

"_**Don't leave me alone…"**_

A month had passed since that incident, and things were starting to go back to their regular course. Lavi was still noticeably affected, but everyone was trying their best to cheer him up, and no one had brought the topic since then.

At that moment, the read-head was at the library, reading some books Komui had brought the previous day, when he heard the door opening.

"Lavi-dono, Komui-san would like to see you at his office…" Lavi looked up from what he was reading, and found a finder looking at him from the door.

Lavi nodded at him with a small smile, getting up from the chair he was sitting on.

"Thanks. I'll go now."

That said, Lavi left through the door, heading towards Komui's office, which he guessed would be buried under Komui's usual mess of undone paperwork. Maybe he wanted to ask him to help with it…

***Knock, knock***

"Come on iiin"

Lavi heard Komui's cheery voice through the door he had just knocked on.

He opened it and stepped into the sea of paperwork, barely being able to make it to the couch in the middle of the room, right in front of Komui's barely visible desk, also covered with mountains of papers.

"Oh, hi Lavi. I wasn't expecting you this soon!"

"Had nothing better to do… So… You want me to help you with these…?" He said while picking up some papers that had fallen from the couch as he sit on it, and taking a quick look at them.

"Oh, don't worry about those. Actually, the reason I called you has nothing to o with paperwork."

"Then? What did you call me for?"

"Truth is, you and Kanda-kun have a mission" Komui said with his trade-mark smile, as Lavi winced at the nickname the blue-haired exorcist would certainly not like.

"Yuu and me?"

"Yup, since the only other exorcist available is Allen-kun, and I know better than sending those two alone on a mission…" Komui said, his voice acquiring a slightly darker tone as he reached the end of the sentence.

Lavi couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him as he remembered what happened last time Komui had sent those two in a 'bonding-trip'. It had ended with some destroyed-beyond-recognition ruins, worth millions in both monetary and cultural value. Lavi stifled another laugh as Komui went emo and he remembered his face when the news had arrived.

Also, the injuries he received from Kanda lasted until a few days ago… No wonder, with all the broken bones he had.

"So, where's Yuu?" Lavi asked, finally snapping out of his thoughts.

"Probably sulking somewhere, hitting or killing something or someone and complaining about having _yet_ another mission right after he came back from one."

Meanwhile, Kanda was sulking in a forest, cutting down random trees, complaining on his newly assigned mission. _Another one_. He was sick of it. He sighed, giving up his torturing the poor innocent trees and headed into the order, walking towards that creep's dreaded office.

When he finally reached it, after picking up fights with random finders on the way, he knocked twice on the door before kicking it open, without even waiting for an answer.

"Oh, hi !!! I wasn't expecting you this soon"

"Hi Yuu…" Lavi said, waving slightly at the obviously angry exorcist, still a little surprised at the door previously kicked flying all the way to the other wall of Komui's office.

"Che. What is that useless idiot doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious??"

"…You want me to throw the garbage out on the way to the mission?"

"Noo!! You and Lavi are _together _on this mission!! Aren't you happy?"

"…Fuck. No." Kanda said while thinking the situation just couldn't get worse.

"Well, you're going together anyway. Oh, and Allen's catching up with you later." Lavi stared blankly at Komui as he said that, waiting for Kanda's rage explosion, which would most likely end in a killing rampage…

"…_But didn't he say he knew better that sending those two together…? Oh well…"_

As Lavi mused about that, Kanda's brain was slowly working the words Komui had just spoken. Allen. Moyashi. Coming.

"_Okay…"_ Kanda thought. _"It just got worse."_

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

As Kanda and Lavi walked through the Order's maze of halls and hallways, heading –hopefully- towards the arc portal, Lavi looked at the Japanese exorcist, who was currently muttering something about mass-murdering moyashis.

"You know, you didn't need to punch Komui in the face…"

"Bah. It was just a punch. I should've cut his head off to hang it on my wall." Kanda retorted while glaring at some random people.

"Yeah, but after that, you started kicking him on the ribs until a nasty 'crack' sounded, and then you threw the couch to him…" _"Something's telling me he would've gone on like that until Komui died if I hadn't managed to drag him away…"_

"If he can't handle that much, he's not worth being in his position. Now stop bothering me, you baka usagi."

Lavi sighed, realizing it was pointless to argue with **THE** Kanda Yuu about hurting people while he was _utterly_ pissed off.

"Let's just get this over with _**BEFORE**_ moyashi comes."

"Right…"

That said, they (somehow) reached the arc portal, and went through towards their mission's destination: Spain.

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

Lavi stepped down from the arc portal, Kanda following suit. They carried suitcases with them, since Komui had insisted it might take some time to complete that mission, and he wasn't planning to spend money on their personal needs.  
Their finder led them to the hotel they were supposed to stay in, after which he left to help the other finders who were out gathering information.

Lavi walked towards the counter, the girl behind it smiling politely at him. He returned the sile as he got close enough to talk to her.

"¿Puedo ayudarles en algo?" As soon as she said that, Kanda's usually annoyed expression distorted in confusion, not being able to understand a single word of what he guessed was Spanish **(brilliant xD)**

"Venimos de la orden, somos exorcistas. Las cruces de nuestros abrigos deberían ser bastante prueba. ¿Hay alguna habitación reservada para nosotros?"

The girl smiled again, and handed Lavi the key to their room, while Kanda stared dumbfounded, his mouth slightly opened, as Lavi thanked the girl –or so he guessed- and turned back to him.

"You should close your mouth. Flies will go in." Lavi said, immediately ducking afterwards to avoid being beheaded by mugen.

"Anyway" He said while standing straight again "We have a room"

Kanda just glared at him, snatched the keys he was holding, and headed to the stairs. Lavi followed him, carrying their forgotten suitcases to their new room.

When Kanda opened the door, Lavi stared into the familiar luxury the exorcists were usually treated with anywhere they went. The room was probably a suit, two large beds sitting at each side, each one with a nightstand. There was a huge window on the right, and a door to the left, which probably led to a bathroom. Three caramel colored sofas forms a mini-living room, with a glass table between them. The whole floor was carpeted, and there was also a desk and a chair, probably for working purposes.

Kanda pretty much _ignored_ everything and just sat down in one of the sofas, reading the file Komui had given him with information about their mission. Lavi looked at him for a moment, before putting their suitcases in a closet, after which he sat down with Kanda.

"So… what exactly do we have to do?" Lavi asked, having left in such a hurry because of the Japanese's killing spree, Komui didn't even have time to explain them what their mission was about.

"Says here the finders have located a possible innocence in a sunken ship that appears only at full-moon nights or some nonsense like that…"

"It does sound like something innocence would do…"

"Also says there are high possibilities of Noah appearing… Che. Troublesome…"

"Well, guess that's why they sent _three_ exorcists…" Lavi said to no one in particular, standing up and walking towards the window.

"Che. We _will _finish this **BEFORE** moyashi comes, so you better not be a hindrance."

Kanda seems extremely annoyed at the fact he just remembered Allen was coming along at some point. Lavi sighed, leaning on the windowsill while looking at the town below their room. People were just happily, carelessly living their lives, oblivious to the war that was taking place, to how the result could end up in the total obliteration of humanity or life as they had known it… The 49th war he'd recorded… The last one he'd record…

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Wait, we're sharing a room?"

"Uh… yeah?"

"We as in you and me?"

"Well, the word 'we' usually has that meaning" Lavi answered while sweatdropping.

"…"

"…"

"We have four options: First, you rent another room with your own money. Second, you sleep outside. Third, I murder you. Fourth, I commit hara-kiri."

"… huh?" Lavi wasn't done processing what Kanda had just told him when he mumbled something about 'the third', and then he started chasing him around the room, trying to behead him, or just mutilate him with mugen.

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

After the wild goose-chase that had place in their room, Lavi managed to escaped into the town, having lost track of Kanda, but also of where he was. He decided to take the chance to ask around about that ghost ship Komui's report mentioned

He ended up finding out the beach where it appeared, so he went to check it out.  
When he reached it, he saw Kanda, apparently glaring at the sea, all the birds and sand-animals having run away from him.

"So you found out too?"

"Huh? Found out 'bout what." Kanda said while glaring in Lavi's direction.

"… Uh… this is the beach where the supposed ghost-ship appears…"

"Oh really. Bah." Lavi sweat-dropped again. Kanda really _was_ dense.

"Anyway, today's not a full moon, so we should- hey!!" Lavi cut himself as he found himself talking to the air, Kanda already having left in the direction of their hotel.

"Hey, Yuu!! Wait fo-" Lavi stopped mid-word, hands raising in a defensive manner, already used to having the tip of mugen drawing tiny drops of blood from his neck, after so many times of angering Kanda.

"…You're not gonna try to kill me for calling you 'Yuu'? Just a threat?"

"…Bah." He said, sheathing mugen again. "Killing useless stupid morons isn't worth my time." That said, he turned around and started walking away again.

Lavi followed him, still kind of confused at Kanda's odd behavior.

"…Riiiight… Well, it seemed to be quite worth it all the times before…"

"That was when you weren't like this." Kanda said, finally stopping and turning to face Lavi.

"…Like this?" Lavi asked, still confused, waiting for Kanda to say or do something that might give him a clue to whatever he was talking about.

"Pretending."

That single word seemed to weigh down on Lavi as if the whole world had just fallen over his shoulders and he had to carry it. His eye widened, and he suddenly forgot how to speak or think coherently. That couldn't be happening…

"_**There's no way he knows…"**_

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

**So, what did you think??? Liked it?? Hated it?? Gouged your eyes out to stop the torture??**

**Anywat, R&R so I can know what you liked and what you didn't so I can fix it!! Oh, and since it was kinda rushed, pleeease tell me if I made any spelling mistakes ^-^U**

**So, I'll update next chappie as soon as I can, I promise!!!!! And to those who have been waiting for it, Tyki makes his big debut!!**

**T: actually, I've alreafy appeared in the story, so it's not a debut...**

**Me: Suddup *smacks***

**See yaaa~**

**~Hikari**

****EDIT****

**Just noticed I didn't put the translation of what Lavi was saying ^^; (eheheh...)**

**Girl: Can I help you?**

**Lavi: We come from the Order. The crosses we're wearing should be enough proof. Do you happen to have a room for us?**

**Aaaaand that's it XD**

****ANOTHER EDIT HALF A SECOND AFTER THE FIRST ONE** (seriously)**

**I CAN'T BELIEVE I KEEP FORGETTING THIIIIINGS!!!!**

**anyway, I didn't mention what the (*) was for... ú//ù**

**I wanted to say Lavi's memories with bookman are sooooooooooooooooooooo happy and non-violent XD (but I didn't want to ruin the mood, so... ^^;)**

**so, hopefully, there won't be _another_ edit, but if you notice something (me be reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally dumb and an air head...) pleeeeeeease tell me so I can fix it!!!!**

**Byeeee~**


	8. Lost

**Hey there, this is Hikari... Please don't kill me? *Runs away from angry unexistant mob of readers***

**I'm so sorry, but I just didn't have any time to write at all, and I was having a huge block, but this story shall live!!! And then right when I had the chapter finished, the page lagged and it wouldn't save it!! TWICE!!! TT^TT  
**

**Anyway, I'll try to make this chapter extra long to make it up for you guys ^.^ (if there's anyone left reading this...)**

**Disclaimer: Dun own blah blah. Bored of doing this -_-**

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* * *

_When __you lose someone close...  
When it hits you that you won't ever see them again...  
It's not something that can be explained with words...  
A wound that may heal with time...  
Will leave behind a scar, which will last forever...  
Even for someone who's not supposed to have a heart...  
Will this pain go away eventually...?  
The walls are coming back together...  
This feeling won't let me move an inch...  
And the silhouette just stands there, smiling...  
As the walls go up, it starts mouthing something...  
Trying to tell me something...?  
I can barely make it out...  
**Come to me...**_

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* * *

**_"_****__****Lost****_"_**

Lavi's eye went wide, not knowing what to say next. There was just _no way_Kanda knew 'Lavi' was just a mask, just a character he had to play for a while... Though, lately, the mask seemed to be fusing with his real self...  
Shaking off that last thought, his brain started overworking for an answer, an excuse, anything that could answer Kanda. Though, he had to gain some time, somehow...

"W-What... do you mean...?" He said, not managing to stop himself from stuttering. He mentally cursed his nerves, having been pretending for two years, and now, when he needed it the most, his voice failed him...

"Don't act dumb with me. It's pretty obvious what I'm talking about." Kanda replied, with his usual frown deepening a little. Lavi swallowed, he was running out of time before Kanda snapped, and he needed his answer, a good answer ready for when he did that...

"Well, I asked for a reason..." He said, at least his voice didn't crack again...

Kanda sighed, as if realizing he would never get Lavi to say it himself. Well, then he'd just have to voice his thoughts aloud. "It's no use to pretend now, and I already told you it wAgaias pretty obvious." He said, making a small pause, as if thinking his next words. Lavi felt as if the whole world was falling over his shoulders at that point, and he prepared for the worst... He braced himself, though he managed to keep his eyes open, instead of closing them and just running away, like his brain was screaming at him to do.

"You..." Kanda started, though he trailed off, still unsure of his words. His short temper finally got the better of him, deciding that saying it directly would be the less troublesome option.

"You shouldn't pretend to be okay, or your usual... _cheery_ self, when that damned old man died a few months ago." He said, looking at Lavi straight in the eye, as if to prove his point. Lavi just stayed still, like a statue, his eye wide. Now, that was something he hadn't expected... Reminding himself to breathe, he let go of the air he had been keeping inside his lungs for a really long time, and breathed in so quickly, it was almost like a gasp, though he managed to hide it all with a cough.

"Look, I'm really okay, so just stop worrying..." He said, though Kanda just frowned even more at him. At least, he seemed to have bought the cough.

"Yeah, right." Was his only answer. Lavi sighed a little at that... It was true that bookman's death affected him, a lot, but the old panda wouldn't have liked it if he let that get in the way of his work, neither as a bookman, nor as an exorcist... So he had cried, screamed, fainted, almost starved to death, punched and kicked walls, and a lots of other things during the past two months, but right now, he had let it all out. He could bear with it.

"Well, yeah. I really let it all out, so I'm fine now..." He said, voicing his thoughts, realizing he hadn't answered Kanda. He offered a smile at him, hoping it would convinve him. "Thanks for worrying though." He said, with the smile still over his lips. Though Kanda had known him for over two years, and he knew the smile was a sad one. At least, he wasn't hiding it.

".............."

"..............................WHO THE HELL IS WORRYING ABOUT YOU?!?!?!" Kanda screamed, unsheathing mugen, and aiming a blow at Lavi's neck. Lavi yelped, and started to run away from him, though he was glad things were slowly returning back to normal. Slowly because, if Kanda was really back to normal, his attack would've been a lot faster, he would've had to block it instead of running away... He smiled inwardly at THE Kanda holding back his anger for him...

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

**"Thank you..."**

"More champagne, sir?"

"No, thank you." A handsome looking man answered, running a hand through his messy black hair, while he raised the other one slightly, waving a little at the waiter. He put his top hat back on, and watched as said waiter walked away, with the elegantly decorated silver plate full of champagne glasses, offering it to the other people in the luxurious hall, who were either talking, while drinking, smiling at everyone, or dancing in the middle of the room, to a classic, yet well known waltz, played by an orchestra who were playing in a little scenario, at a corner of the room.

It was a beautiful evening, an elegant party. All the men were in white or black suits, with ties or what the amber eyed man would always call ribbons, though the right term was bow tie. The women, oh, those were another story. They all wore precious long dresses, expensive sparkling jewels and dazzling complements adorning their necks, wrists, hair, ears, and mostly every part of their anatomy, except for their faces, which were instead covered by make-up. He sighed, contemplating what could be considered -or at least, in his opinion- like the perfect representation of superficialness, deceivement, hiding one self, pretending, falseness in general. It had always looked more like a carnival that a party to him. After all, everyone was wearing some kind of mask, just this one was under their skin. Well, at least, most of it. The hiding themselves in expensive clothing, jewels, make-up, _that_ was visible, and a real mask. But the one he mentioned before, the one under their skin, that was what amused him the most. The saying only what is beneficial for them, keeping their real thoughts to themselves. The complimenting and admiring the people who were above them, to see if they got some kind of prize or reward. The pretending to like someone just so they buy you stuff. Or even worse, the not even pretending to like that someone, and that someone will still buy you things, 'cause he wants a pretty toy. Humans, especially rich ones, always amused him to no end. Not like he was any different, though. He was probably the person who had the most extravagant mask in the world, the one better carved, the best one. Since, after all, he was living a double life without any human finding out. And totally opposite lives, at that. Then again, maybe it shouldn't be called a mask, since him and his human self could maybe be considered as different beings... After all, the human had been there before.

"What are you doing here, all by yourself, Tyki-pon?" Came an all too familiar voice, breaking the man out of his thoughts.

"Well, there really isn't anything that interests me in this party besides watching, Earl." Tyki calmly answered, turning to look at the person who was secretly plotting the downfall of human race, another with a mask worth mentioning, the one who led him and his family throughout the killing and slaughtering of both innocent people and exorcists...

And he was eating cake.

"...I thought your favourite food was crocodile...? (**AN/ true fact XD**)" He asked, sweat-dropping a little, as he watched the –most likely- most important man in the world move his spoon from the plate to his mouth in quick motions, finishing the piece of cake in about five seconds, managing to remain completely free of chocolate stains.

"I changed my tastes." The Earl said, while cleaning his mouth elegantly with a white handkerchief. "I came to you for another reason." He continued, folding the white piece of cloth neatly, and putting it back inside his chest pocket, with the tip showing in an elegant fashion. A wicked smile made its way to his lips, though no one seemed to notice it.

_"This can't be good..."_ Tyki thought, having been with the Earl for the shortest time out of the rest of the Noahs, but still, knowing that expression all too well...

"Don't tell me you already forgot, Tyki-pon?" At this, Tyki blinked a couple of times, not sure what to answer.

_"...Forgot... What...?"_ He thought, trying to remember his previous conversations with the eerie-looking man who was standing in front of him, though, as hard as he tried, he wasn't able to put his finger on what- "Oh... **that**." He muttered, while a conversation he had had with the man around a week ago suddenly came back to him.

"So, Tyki-pon, anything you should be doing now, instead of being here...?" The Earl asked, with a sweet voice, though Tyki could make out the threat hiding behind the statement.

"Ahaha… Sure, I'll be leaving now, then…" He said hurriedly while laughing nervously, turning around and starting to walk out of the luxurious hall, towards the door of the mansion. As soon as he was out, he quickly walked to a dark alley, making sure no one was following him or watching him, before what seemed like black pieces of a broken glass emerged from the floor, with a white number on top of the whole structure. Tyki stepped inside, sending waves through the material as if it was made of water, and he disappeared from sight. The black-coloured portal also submerged back into the ground again as soon as he had gone completely through it, leaving absolutely no trace of anyone ever entering that alley.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

**"Things will be getting interesting..."**

"...Are we there yet...?" Lavi asked, for the hundredth time... Or at least that's how it seemed to Kanda.

"For the last time... NO!!!" He said, screaming the last part at the top of his lungs, hitting Lavi on the head with all of his strength.

"Ow... Meanie!" Lavi answered, while rubbing at the spot where Kanda's fist collided with his head.

"You deserved it." The blue-haired exorcist answered dryly, while turning back around and starting to walk again.

"But it's been hours…!" Lavi complained, following Kanda. "Was it really this far away from the hotel…?" He asked no one in particular, though he already knew the answer, having recorded the whole map of the city upon seeing it in a shop.

"Stop complaining unless you want to have a slow, painful death…" Kanda muttered, with a tone of voice that clearly said _'I am serious and I really need to kill something to relieve my stress, so you better shut up'_. Then again, Lavi was never one to be cautious with his life when it came to bothering the Japanese until he snapped. Besides, if he started chasing him, they'd get to the beach way faster.

"…"

"…"

"…Are we there yet?"

"..."

"…Yuu...?"

"KIIIIIIIIIILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kanda screamed, while unsheathing mugen, and trying to stab Lavi with it. Lavi yelped, and managed to dodge the deadly weapon, but he had to run for dear life if he wanted to keep his head stuck to his shoulders.

"Murderer!!" He screamed, though he knew that would either be unnoticed by Kanda, or make him even angrier. Usually it was the second.

"COME HERE YOU BAKA USAGI!!!!!" Kanda yelled, a murderous aura emitting from him, and he sped up, trying to slice Lavi in little pieces. It _was_ the second one, after all.

"Who'd go back?!" He answered, also speeding up, since, right now, living seemed like quite an attractive option.

After running around for a while, Lavi noticed it was getting harder and harder to do so, and Kanda also seemed to be slowing down. Slowly coming to a stop in order to pay more attention to his surroundings, he noticed they were already at the beach they had discovered before, the place where the ghost ship was supposed to appear. Kanda also came to a stop beside the read-head, hit him, and then started walking through the beach.

"Ow… I have a bad feeling about this…" He muttered, also starting to walk again, just behind the blue haired one, towards a point here they would be able to see the ghost ship clearly.

"Stop being such a chicken, you moron." Kanda retorted grumpily, wanting to finish the mission already, since Allen was supposed to arrive there the next day. On the other hand, if they managed to get the innocence that night, then they could go home, and hopefully leave the Moyashi behind, and if he liked the town, maybe he'd just buy a house and live there.

"I never said I was scared. I just said I had a bad feeling…" Lavi's voice broke through his future plans for when there wasn't any Moyashi in his life, reminding him that he had another pest to get rid of when that happened.

"Same thing. Now hurry up." He said, starting to run, since the full moon was already showing itself, coming up through the ocean, its reflection seeming as if it was dancing above the water surface, moving in random patterns with the soft waves. Lavi stared at it for a second, slightly dazed, then followed Kanda, also running, until they got to the place where the most views of the ship had happened.

"Well, we're here... How long do you think it'll take to appear?" Lavi asked, looking at the ocean. Then, suddenly, as if answering his question, the reflection of the moon started swirling in strange patterns, and a whirlpool started forming. Lavi and Kanda stared at the water moving around in circles, as a piece of wood started to appear from the center, where the ocean floor could be seen.

"That must be it..." Kanda muttered, waiting impatiently for the ship to emerge. Lavi was staring as the small piece of wood continued moving upwards, revealing a piece of old, rotten white cloth. It was the main pole of the ship, Lavi recognized as it moved upwards, showing the place where a person was usually on the look out (**NA/ Don't remember how that was called...)**, then revealing more rotten cloth, wood, broken windows, until finally, the whole shi`had surfaced. Lavi looked at Kanda, waiting for him to signal their departure. As if on que, the blue haired exorcist dashed towards the sunken ship, jumping onto its deck, which cracked slightly, unable to support such sudden weigh. Kanda looked down at the weak wood, then back at Lavi, who was about to land on the deck too. His eyes darted to the spot where the red hair would land. _"That baka usagi is going to get himself killed some of this days..."_ He thought, starting a mental countdown to Lavi's demise.

Three.

Two.

One.

**Crack.**

The loud sound of wood breaking and someone yelping could probably be heard, in Kanda's opinion, all the way back to the town. Or, maybe, it was just the echoe. Sighing, he walked over to the hole, looking down at the darkness which had already engulfed his troublesome partner. "Oi. Baka usagi. You alive?" He asked towards the hole, hoping for a negative answer, or even better, no answer. Unfortunately, a few seconds later, a groan could be heard, and the sound of wood falling, which was probably Lavi sitting up, causing the stray wood pieces to fall from his body onto the floor. ·...I've been better..." Lavi muttered, standing up, thouh the moment he tried, he fell down again, yelping, and barely having enough time to move his hands, preventing his face from slamming onto the floor. Turning his head, he saw something was holding his leg. Wait, not something. Someone. Lavi kicked the skeleton's old, therefore fragile hand, breaking the bones that were holding hs anckle. Blinking a little, he wondered to what extent did he have bad luck, to have fallen in such a position that his anckle got tangled in a dead person's hand. "Oi! What's going on down there!" Came Kanda's loud voice, echoing on the walls of the empty room. Well, empty besides Lavi, and the now handless skeleton. "

If you're so curious, why don't you come down here?!" Lavi yelled towards the only source of light the room had, the hole he had opened, which was letting the moonlight in. He could almost hear Kanda's anger building up, but he decided, right now, he preffered being alive, so he moved towards the hole, stepped on some boxes, and poked his head through it. "I just found a dead someone." He said, looking up at the Japanese exorcist, who as obviously restraining himself from playing Whack-A-Lavi.

"Why're you so-" Lavi yelped, interrupting himself mid-phrase, as his head dissapeared again into the hole. Kanda just stood there for a moment, wondering what had just happened, before jumping into the hole too. He landed with another 'crack', though, luckily, the floor didn't give in this time. He looked around, seeing Lavi, with his hammer enlarged, and a pile of broken bones at his feet. "...What the _hell_ is that?" He asked, not sure if he was seeing right. A pile of _bones_.

"Well, it was a... skeleton?" Lavi offered, knowing he must sound nuts, or delirious... "And, before you ask, I'm neither crazy nor delirious." He said, trying to avoid one od Kanda's trademark offensive remarks.

"...Whatever. Let's just look for that stupid innocence already." Kanda said, though his look clearly stated he _thought _Lavi was either crazy, delirious or plain stupid. Most likely the last one.

After about five minutes of walking in the complete darkness, Lavi tripped over something, bumping into Kanda, and sending them both flying into the wall. "Ouch..." Lavi muttered as he stood up, quickly noticing the murderous aura Kanda was emitting.

"Um... I guess that's my cue to run. Bye!!" He said, as he turned to run in a random direction, as fast as his legs would allow it.

"KILL!!!!!!!!!"

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**_"I always knew it, hate is way better that indifference... That's why I can keep this fake smile on my lips for so long... Thank you for acknowledging my existence."_**

After having run like crazy throughout what seemed to Lavi like the whole ship, he turned his head around, trying to see if Kanda was still chasing him. Then again, he couldn't even see his own nose in the complete darkness, so he just kept moving forward, but walking. After a while, he decided his blue-haired partner wasn't after him anymore, or else he would've reached him and killed him in a slow and painful way a long time ago. Sighing, he kept on walking, deciding that staying still wasn't going to help at all. That way, at least he had some chances of finding the innocence they were looking for. _"...Speak about the Devil and he'll appear before you, huh..."_ He thought, after seeing a faint light coming from deeper inside the ship. He walked towards the faint green glow, dodging old boxes and rotten pieces of wood, which had probably fallen from the roof or the walls, until he reached some kind of wooden altar, over which the raw innocence was located.

"Finally found it..." He muttered, picking up the small glowing object, then turning around and starting to make hi way back. It was definitely a lot easier when you had something to light your way.

After wandering aimlessly for some time, Lavi was starting to wonder if the ship had eaten Kanda or something. Or maybe the skeletons had. Or maybe _Kanda _ate the skeletons, they gave him a stomach ache, and he broke his way to the upper deck in order to throw up. Or maybe the ship ate Kanda. Wait. He had already thought that. Sighing, he realized to what extent he was bored out of his mind, when suddenly, he heard the sound of a sharp object cutting the wind. Turning to look in that direction, he suddenly heard a noise as if something had just burrowed itself into the wall behind him. Turning his head slowly, he saw Mugen was stuck in the wall, about half a centimetre away from his face, having cut a little bit of his hair.

"Che. A centimetre more to the right." He heard Kanda's unmistakable voice say, as the samurai walked closer to where he was, taking Mugen by it's hilt, then easily pulling it out of the wall.

"Hey, Yu-" Lavi cut himself mid-sentence at the feeling of sharp and cold metal against the skin of his neck, drawing a little blood. "Fine, fine. Hey there, _Kanda_."

The blue-haired exorcist pulled his sword away, putting it back into it's sheath. ""Next time I'll simply behead you." He remarked, while turning around and starting to walk away. "Move it. We're getting outta here _quickly_ or I'll really behead you and put your head on a _stick_ in front of my door. So that others learn not to bother me. Maybe I'll add Moyashi's too." Lavi gulped a little at the idea of being beheaded, and slightly wondered if Kanda knew about the ancient tribes who put their enemies' heads in front of their gates to scare others away, or if he was that primitive out of instinct. His guess was the second one. But he didn't voice it aloud. He quite enjoyed being alive. Sighing, he followed his short-tempered partner, though he was sure he had just started walking in random direction; it wasn't as if he himself knew the way out, so... Better not awake the Japanese's rage.

They kept on walking for a while, guided by the faint glow of the green spherical object. It was a lot easier than dodging the stray debris and objects in a complete darkness. When they finally saw the light coming from an opening in the ceiling, Lavi out the innocence shard away in one of his pockets, since now there was another source of light they could follow.

Kanda went ahead, looking up at the high ceiling with a hole in it. It would be hard to jump all the way there, even for exorcists like them, but there were also the rotten boxes laying around, so- Suddenly, a loud noise called his attention. Turning around, he raised an eyebrow at the scene before him, with his typical '_I-am-surrounded-by-morons_' look.

Lavi had been laying on his back, but now he was sitting up, rubbing at the back of his head, which he had seemingly hit against one of the boxes in the process of falling. He seemed a little dizzy, probably because of said hit. Sighing, Kanda wondered if he had tripped. Until his sight landed on Lavi's left anckle. A hand. A skeleton's hand. Folllwing it, he saw bony arms, shoulders, spinal chord and a skull. A skeleton. And it had turned its head to look at him. His eyes widened slightly for a second, before returning to their usual angry frown, his hand already unsheathing Mugen. Once the sword was out, he dashed towards the thing, swiftly crashing it completely with a hit from his innocence. He was about to turn to look at Lavi, to chack if he had recovered already, when he heard something moving towards his right. Turning, all he could see was darkness, but the sound was still there. Kanda stood there on guard, waiting for whatever it was to come out. And it did. Another skeleton launched itself towards Kanda, though said exorcist easily crashed that one too. Kanda sighed, wondering exactly how more annoying could the situation get, when suddenly, he heard a weird noise. Turning again, his eyes widened slightly. The first skeleton was coming back together. And just like that, the situation got a lot more annoying. Several more skeletons appeared from the darkness, as Kanda ran two of his fingers through Mugen's blade.

"Innocencce... Activate!" With a bright light, three of the skeletons were crashed to small pieces, and Kanda swiftly turned to deal with the rest.

"First Illusion... Insects from the underworld!" And with that, the rest of the skeletons were down. Momentarily. Kanda rushed over to Lavi, who was still sitting on the floor, as he heard the first skeletons he had smashed coming back together. He didn't have time to reach the red head before one of them blocked his way, attacking him.

The situation was, as Kanda saw it, really annoying. He could easily destroy, _obliterate_ every single one of those things, and even more of them, but they recovered before he had time to get the annoying idiot out of there. Now he was sure things couldn't get worse.

"Oozuchi kozuchi... Ban... Ban... ban!!*****" He heard from somewhere behind the skeletons, before a large black object hit most of the skeletons standing between him and the now awoken baka usagi. "Was about time." He said angrily, glaring at Lavi, who was now in sight thanks to his skeleton-wiping."Did you really think that was enogh to take me down?" The red-head answered, with a grin painted over his features, while he rested the enlarged hammer on his shoulder. "Bah." Was the only response he got, as the Japanese turned his back to him, slicing through more skeletons. "Let's find a way out of this already..." He said, with a threatening tone to his voice. Lavi guessed he had just remembered Allen could get there in any minute. _"95% of probability..."_ He thought swiftly, as he also smashed a bunch of their bony ambushers. It was a burden not to be able to use either Hi-ban*** **or Ten-ban***** due to the ship's old and fragile structure, but at least his weapon's size and weigh allowed him to destroy the skeletons easily without any need for the second release.

After a while of fighting, Lavi turned to see how his blue-haired partner was doing, though the moment he turned his head around, he was greeted with the sight of a very angry Kanda, who was obviously taking it out on the skeletons, judging by the pile of slowly regenerating broken bones around his feet. Sighing, he was about to turn back to his own fight, when a small shine caught his attention. Taking a better look, one of the skeletons was holding something in it's hand, and that something was glowing...

Wait...

Lavi's eye widened at the realization that it was holding the piece of raw innocence they had found a while ago. Quickly checking his pockets, he confirmed hat ir _was_ the one they had had until a moment ago. Looking back at the skeleton, he saw Kanda was about to attack it, and he obviously hadn't seen the green object in it's hand... Which it was putting in the sword's path. "Yuu, stop!" He screamed, but it was too late. Mugen and the raw innocence collided, creating a light so bright Lavi had to cover his eye with an arm, while he was knocked back slightly by the force of the impact. After the light was gone, he removed his arm and slowly opened his eye, his pupil trying to adjust to the current light. After all the blurrs started to become defines things, he went over to where Kanda was laying, trying to check if he was okay.

"Yuu, are you-" He started saying, but before he could finish, as usual, he had Mugen pressed against his neck, drawing a thin stream of blood. "-hurt?" He finished, hile raising his hands in a defensive manner. The samurai just glared at him, then took a better look at his weapon.

"..."

"... It's... cracked...?"

"..."

"...Yuu?"

"... I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!" Kanda screamed, while activating the second illusion of Mugen, then chasing Lavi around trying to cut him in half with both of his swords. "Calm down!" The bookman screamed, dodging the continuous blows aimed at his vital points. "IT WAS YOUR FAULT THAT THE STUPID PILE OF BONES GOT IT'S HANDS ON THE STUPID INNOCENCE!!" The other one replied, finally cornering the read-head against a wall of the ship. It seemed to be the redhead's lucky day though, since a skeleton _tried_ to attack Kanda from behind. All it got was to get smashed into pieces.

"You're damn lucky those things are there to take my anger out on somethin..." The Japanese muttered before running into the mob od skeletons, destroying them one after another. Lavi sighed, Kanda was always too careless. Who knew how long Mugen would be able to go on without breaking apart?

Crack.

It seemed not too long. The bookman took a better look at his partner's innocence, whose crack was getting bigger and bigger with every swing, every hit. He tried to go over there and stop the stupid idiot, but skeletons were in the way. He swang his now extended hammer, taking out about half of them, but they kept reconstructing themselves and coming back for more.

He looked over at the samurai again, noticing with fear that mugen's crack was getting too big. And jusging by the other impacts, it wouldn't hold on any longer. Lavi watched in horror as a skeleton attacked Kanda. The blue haired one swinged mugen again, but for the bookman, it was all in slow motion. If the sword and the skeleton's hand collided, the innocence would break. The skeleton's attack would be deflected, sure, but it would land somewhere along Kanda's chest... Piercing one of his lungs.

Lavi didn't know what to do, he was starting to sweat. He had to do something, _anything_. And then his body started acting on it's own.

It felt... weird, to say the least. It was always his mind the one that thought of severl outcomes, strategies, and his body moved accord. But now, it felt as if his body was the one that knew what to do, while his brain could only stress out. He had felt like that before. When he discovered some of the seals for Oozuchi kozuchi. Now felt the same. The familiar circle of seals appeared around him, though there was one that was shining. One with an interrogation mark. He hit it with the hammer, then watched his hands spin it, so the head was pointing at the floor. Next thing he knew, the point was buried in the rotten wood.

"Koukou ban!" He said, not even knowing why he did so. A light seal... Made him wonder what would happen. He didn't need to wait too much. As soon as the words left his lips, a white light started shining at the point where the hammer's point was buried into. The light expanded, forming some sort of semi-sphere. The seal of 'light' appeared on the floor, the dome having pushed the skeletons as it expanded, even though it went right through Kanda. Lavi's brain didn't take too long to understand what was going on. _"A shield."_ He thought, watching the skeletons trying to break through the white, almost transparent barrier.

"...What the hell?" Kanda said, raising an eyebrow at what was happening. A green light caught his attention though. It was coming from mugen.

The two exorcists watched in awe as the crack slowly dissapeared, leaving mugen perfectly unscratched. Once it was good to go, the green light disappeared too. Lavi took the chance that Kanda was too distracted examining his sword and wondering what had just happened to think a little. The skeletons were the innocence's doing. They were there to protect the ship. If the innocence left the ship, it would all be okay. He looked through the skeletons that were trying to go through the barrier. Once of them had the innocence.

_"Yuu is so not going to like this..."_ He thought, as he took his weapon from the floor, tha barrier instantly disappearing. Beofre Kanda had time to react, he slammed the skeleton with his shoulder, catching the innocence as it flew out of its hand. "Yuu! Catch!"He yelled, as he threw the glowing green object in the Japanese's direction. Kanda barely had time to catch it, and it took him a few seconds to realize it was the innocence.

"What the-" He started to say, but he couldn't finish. The redhead had hit him with the hammer, sending him flying through several wooden walls before he landed in the ocean with a splash. He swam upwards, emerging with a slightl gasp for air.

"That idiot... Hey, you stu-!" He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening with fear. The ship had started shaking, and small pieces of debris were falling from it. Next hing he knew, the ship fell apart, raising a cloud of dustand a wave that sent him all the way to the beach. And that baka usagi was still inside.

Kanda stood up at the shore, coughing from the salty water he had swallowed on his way there. That moron better be okay and alive, or else he would find a way to revive him, just to kill him with his own hands. He walked into the water again, about to start looking for him, when the sound of steps behind him made him turn around.

Quickly turning his head, Kanda saw Lavi was unconscious, but there. Someone was carrying the idiot, which explained why he was alive to start with...

_Wait_.

Pointing Mugen at the newcomer, Kanda shot his best glare. "Who are you." He snarled, leaving no room for evassion. He was ready to kill whoever it was the second he knew his identity, and therefore knew if killing him would get him in trouble or not. Not like he cared anyway.

"Sorry, but I'm taking the pet back."

Kanda's eyes widened at those words, not believing his eyes for a second, then dashing towards the man, Mugen ready to stab him, while he vanished into the floor, taking Lavi with him. He cursed when they dissapeared completely, not having been able to reach them, and punched the wet sand in sheer frustration.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

_**"Don't dissapear from my life..."**_

Lavi slowly opened his eyes, still feeling a little dizzy. All he could see was darkness. His still blurry vision wasn't helping either. Then again, he could doubtlessly tell who was carrying him, because of his voice, and also because of how he had referred to him. After all, he had been just groggy, not completely unconscious.

"What the hell do you... want from me now...?" He muttered. His head was sill hurting a lot, so that was the most threatening tone he could muster. Though, it wasn't threatening at all, it just showed how weak he was at the moment.

"Well, last time you left without even saying goodbye. That was mean." Tyki Mikk answered, putting his mocking hurt tone of voice again."And I didn't even had the chance to show you why we brought you there."

"More like kidnapped me..." Lavi muttered, trying to feel for his innocence. He was still weak and dizzy, so he wouldn't be much of a threat, let alone for a noah, but he would feel more safe, even if only slightly, if he knew his innocence was with him.

"You looking for this?" Tyki asked, making the small hammer spin on his finger. Okay, so maybe he was completely defenseless. Great. _"Something's telling me I'm not going to like this..."_

"Now hold on tight. This might make you puke your insides out." The noah said, and something about his tone of voice made Lavi think he wasn't joking. At all.

A black cloud of smoke surrounded them, and Lavi felt as if the world started to spin around them. Several times. It was only a short moment, less than five seconds, before they had reaced their destination, but Lavi felt as if he had been for ovewr ten hours in a roller coaster. But he wasn't going to puke. Just to counnterdict the noah.

"Impressive how you can hold your intestines in." The dark-skinned man commented, as they strode through the hallways of what seemed an old-fashioned mansion. Lavi would've said something, but he was afrais the moment he opened his mouth, all that would come out would be his lunch. And maybe his breakfast too.

"Now, to get you a room, lock you up, and let you rest for a while so you can handle the little surprise we have for you..." Tyki muttered more to himself than the exorcist, though Lavi didn't know how 'lock you up' and 'let you rest' could go together in a phrase like that.

_**"I'm alone now... Again..."**_

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**Umm... *stares at word count* **

**O.O Zomg... I can't believe I wrote so much for a single chapter XD You can take all that extra wall-of-text as an apology for taking so long to update... And I didn't leave so much of a cliff-hanger this time 'cause I don't know when I'll be able to put up the next chapter... I mean, I'm on vacations right now, but they'll be over in less than a month, and after that comes my last year of school... Which is scary .**

**So many things to do and so little time... Oh well, rest assured, the story will live! It'll just be updated whenever I have time to write, which won't be too often... At all. Maybe when I finish schook it can be updated weekly again XD**

**All that said, thank you for bearing with me! See ya~**

**Hikari~**

**PS: Do point typos/mistakes out, 'cause I'm sure there are some... This was wrote over several periods of time after all... I think you can see how my writing changed along it XD**


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